1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated response and answering service and functionality in voice and data communications systems, and is more particularly directed to a method and system for implementing an automated response to an incoming communication based on information stored in an electronic calendar database of the intended recipient of the communication.
2. Description of Related Art
At present, when a subscriber to a voice or data communication or telecommunication system cannot be reached by telephone or electronic mail, calls or mail to the subscriber are commonly answered or received by a secretary or assistant who may be specially hired to do that job. In such situations, when the originator of a voice call or electronic mail (referred to herein as the A-subscriber) is attempting to reach an intended recipient (referred to herein as the B-subscriber), the secretary or assistant normally informs the A-subscriber of the unavailability of the B-subscriber and either asks that the A-subscriber call again or accepts a message for his or her employer. In other cases or situations, B-subscribers utilize automated telephone answering or answer-back machines or devices, or contract with answering services, for accepting and storing short messages from callers.
It is also possible in the telephone network to send electronic mail (i.e. e-mail) messages based on the TCP/IP protocol. Some mobile communication systems similarly permit the subscriber to send and receive short messages in text form.
Employing human labor to attend to the receipt of voice calls and electronic mail is, however, expensive and an unproductive use of often-limited resources. A secretary or assistant is also limited by his or her personal abilities, is prone to human error, and is typically only available during specific working hours. Moreover, the transmission of speech in a telecommunication network requires a significant usage of network capacity, and such networks are further burdened by useless or unsuccessful communication attempts.
An additional problem encountered in the use of secretarial services and automated telephone answering devices as heretofore known is that particular callers cannot be individuated or sorted out but, rather, each caller is given the same preset information. It is likewise not possible to readily define an automated, sender-specific response to incoming electronic mail messages.
Also in heretofore-known methods, communication with foreign parties is restricted by language problems, in that the caller or mail sender may not necessarily speak or understand the same language as the secretary or that is used in the outgoing message of the automated answering or answer-back device.
It is accordingly the desideratum of the present invention to eliminate, or at least significantly reduce, the drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art, as for example described hereinabove.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method and system for implementing a short message or electronic mail automated answering or response service in which the response is based on calendar information of the B-subscriber in a voice or data telecommunication system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a method and system in which the automated answer or response is generated using information specified by the B-subscriber for the particular calling or sending A-subscriber identified in accordance with the invention.
A system in accordance with the present invention for implementing an automated answering or response service in a telecommunication network includes a short-message service center (SMSC) for receiving, storing and sending a short message, an electronic mail service base for receiving, storing and sending an electronic mail message, a mobile services switching center (MSC), and data terminal equipment (DTE). In addition, an answering server provides means, which may be implemented in any suitable manner known or available to the person of skill, and preferably via software, for generating and transmitting an automatic short answering message or electronic mail response from or using a calendar database of the B-subscriber when the A-subscriber cannot reach the B-subscriber by telephone or via electronic mail.
In an embodiment of the system, the calendar database contains calendar information relating to the B-subscriber, stored in different fields and sorted by content. Thus, different fields may contain items of information such, for example, as the B-subscriber""s name, the point in time, the B-subscriber""s whereabouts, a person acting as a substitute or alternate contact for the B-subscriber, and free space for other items or messages. If necessary or desired, the calendar database may also include a field storing a reminder message to be sent to the B-subscriber concerning an event specified as being of essential importance or high priority.
The calendar database may furthermore comprises means for updating the stored information from an electronic calendar used and/or maintained by the B-subscriber. Such updating means can be implemented in any suitable manner known or available to the person of skill, such as through the use of electronics or, as is preferred, in software.
In certain embodiments, the answering server may comprise means for identifying the A-subscriber based on the A-subscriber""s originating telephone number or electronic mail address. The answering server may further include means for generating, from predetermined fields of the B-subscriber""s calendar database, an automated response that has been specially set or provided or defined by the B-subscriber for the particular A-subscriber identified as the originator of the incoming call or e-mail message. The A-subscriber generating means and the automated response generating means may be implemented in any suitable manner known or available to the person of skill, such as through the use of electronics or, as is preferred, in software. The answering server may additionally include or utilize or effect a connection from the answering server to a user database for use in operatively identifying the B-subscriber to identify the correct calendar database to be employed or accessed to provide the information for an automated response to the identified A-subscriber. The answering server may still further comprise means for connecting the incoming call to a telephone answer-back machine or service. These additional means may likewise be implemented in any manner known or available to the person of skill, such as through the use of electronics or, as is preferred in software. The incoming call will, of course, be transferred to a telephone answer-back device only if the B-subscriber has activated this service or functionality for the particular A-subscriber identified as the source of the incoming call or message.
Particular embodiments of the inventive system may include means for maintaining and changing the information contained in the B-subscriber""s electronic calendar or calendar database from the subscriber""s own terminal equipment, from or over the Internet, or from a separate (i.e. independent or different) information or communication system. Such means may also be implemented in any way known or available to the person of skill, preferably in or via software.
In the inventive methods for implementing an automated answering service in a telecommunication network that includes, or is associated with, a short-message service center (SMSC) for receiving, storing and sending a short message, an electronic mail service base for receiving, storing and sending an electronic mail message, a mobile services switching center (MSC), and data terminal equipment (DTE), when a B-subscriber cannot be reached an answering server automatically answers and responds to calls and/or electronic mail messages directed or addressed to the B-subscriber by an A-subscriber, in accordance with the information stored in predetermined database fields of the calendar database of the B-subscriber. Items of calendar information relating to the B-subscriber and used for generating the automated response may be stored in different fields in the calendar database and sorted by the content of the stored information.
The calendar database may be updated with newly-stored information from an electronic calendar used by the B-subscriber.
In certain embodiments of the inventive method, the answering server identifies the particular A-subscriber by the call or message-originating telephone number and/or electronic mail address. The answering server automatically generates an answer to the A-subscriber""s call or message from or using the information stored in predetermined calendar database fields by the B-subscriber for the particular, identified A-subscriber. The answering server may additionally identify the B-subscriber from a user database in order to find and utilize the correct calendar database to generate the automated response.
In accordance with the inventive method, the answering server may activate or initiate or effect a connection to a telephone answering or answer-back device or service when a caller attempts to reach the B-subscriber by telephone and the B-subscriber has activated this functionality for the particular A-subscriber identified as having originated the call.
The B-subscriber may use or access his or her electronic calendar from the B-subscriber""s own terminal equipment, from or via the Internet, or from a separate information or communication system.
As compared with prior art methods and systems, the present invention advantageously provides an inexpensive, reliable and fast method of implementing an automated accessibility service for all parties. For a B-subscriber, the method is significantly less costly than a personal secretary, and the service is active at all times of the day and night. The B-subscriber can furthermore combine all of his or her calendar services in a single service. Information stored in the B-subscriber""s calendar database is safely preserved, even if the electronic calendar used by the B-subscriber should be destroyed or lost. In addition, the calendar database can be viewed or regarded as a backup for the electronic calendar. Thus if, for example, the electronic calendar were to be destroyed, the calendar data can be retrieved from the calendar database and delivered or fed into a functional replacement electronic calendar. In addition, the invention makes it possible to combine an interpretative service with the inventive automated answering functionality, thus allowing calls or messages received from abroad to be answered in the language of the A-subscriber.
The invention permits considerable savings in network capacity to be achieved because responsive messages are transmitted in the form of compact data packets instead of circuit-switched speech requiring substantial bandwidth and network capacity. Useless communication attempts by the A-subscriber are also avoided, saving both network capacity and the A-subscriber""s time.
A still further advantage of the invention, as compared with the prior art, is the significant ease of use of the inventive method and system.